The Defeated Knight
by OneHeckofaMama
Summary: It has been two years since that fateful night. And Jaune is still shattered. For the past two years, he has wandered Remnant. With no plans or purpose, he is recruited by Coal, the ruthless leader of"Garett's Greenies." With increasingly challenging moral issues arising, will Jaune put himself back together, or will he remain defeated? Read to find out?
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Hey Party People, this is Thirteen30Seven. I'm a new writer on the site, but I've been writing for a few years now. I hope you like this story I've written.**_

 ***Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any other project's related to the canon series.**

* * *

Everyone,

 _I don't know how to say this, so I guess I'll just come out and say it. I'm leaving. Don't bother looking for me, because I'll already be gone. I don't know what to say. I keep living that night over and over and over again and I hate it. I want the nightmares to stop. I can't sleep anymore. Even if I don't have the nightmares, I dream about her. And that hurts more. The thing is I want it too. I want it to burn my soul and eat my heart. I don't want to feel like that about anyone ever again. So I'm leaving. "Do a little soul-searching." Someone said that to me once. I don't remember who, but I going to do it. So, goodbye. At least for now._

 _Best of luck,_

 _Jaune_

 _P.S. Thanks for being my friends._

 _-Jaune's "goodbye" letter_

* * *

Jaune was broken. Still.

He was sitting in a homely inn somewhere near the coast of the Green Sea, named after the deep, murky green the water took. Something about the water pulling the natural dyes from the seaweed, Jaune had overheard. He was sat the counter which doubled as a bar. He'd worked through several pints of beer before graduating to bourbon. The fiery liquor burned his throat going down, but he could barely feel it. He barely felt anything anymore.

It had been two years since he left. He'd changed considerably. He grew taller and his muscles filled out, firm and scarred from endless training and fighting. His hair had never grown very fast, but it too had gotten longer. The once golden locks had taken on the color of hay and fell to his shoulders. It was rough from lack of conditioning. The knight's face was harder, lined from everything that had happened to him. His cobalt eyes were lifeless, void of the spirit they used to hold. The grey-gold armor that was strapped to him was now marred by deep gouges, nicks, and burns.

The only thing that hadn't changed was Crocea Mors. The blade was sharp and polished as it ever was. And the shield deployment mechanism worked marvelously. The weapon sat in front of him on the counter.

In one hand he held his glass and the other his head. He was embroiled in his thoughts, his mind awash with little nothings. What he'd have for breakfast the next morning. Where he'd go next. He liked this little town. Maybe he'd stay for a while longer. No, he scolded himself. He couldn't stay anywhere for too long, lest someone from his past find him and try to convince him to return to his "family." He didn't have a family anymore. That was the old Jaune's family, only a distant memory of who he had become.

"No! Stop! Leave me alone!" he heard the barmaid squeal. He sighed heavily and glanced over his shoulder. She was young. Younger than himself at least. She had ruddy brown hair and tanned skin, flecked with freckles.

Her arm was trapped in the grip of a thug. He was there when Jaune had gotten in, being rowdy with a few of his friends. He had sandy blonde hair and malicious red eyes. He seemed more content to just drink and be a nuisance to those around him. But touching someone who didn't want to be was too far.

Jaune turned back to his drink. He took a sip. "Let the girl go."

He'd the warning said loud enough for the delinquent to hear. He let the girl go and she scampered away to the back. "What'd you say, jackass!"

Jaune sighed again. "I think you've had enough."

The thug jumped to his feet and started walking towards Jaune. "I think you should mind you own fuckin' business before I stomp your head in."

Jaune scoffed. He'd put this shithead down before he took another step. But the young wanderer would give him a chance to back down.

"Leave, now," Jaune said, his voice growing stern.

The young man advanced further. His friends' chairs scraped the floor. Good, they were getting up too. This would be interesting, at least.

"How about you make me," the guy said before laying his heavy hand on Jaune's left shoulder.

Jaune's jaw clenched. His hand tightened around his glass. He took a deep breath and swallowed the last of the cinnamon-flavored drink.

Jaune rocketed his elbow back, cracking into the thug's nose. A meaty crunch told him that he broke it. The man reeled back. Jaune stood up turned and slammed his empty glass into the right side of the thug's head. The obviously tempered glass shattered into hundreds of tiny, sharp bits. Some found their way into his hand, slicing open his palm. Blood was streaming from the man's head, but he was unconscious. He looked at the thug's friends.

"Anymore?"

They all rushed him at once. Jaune took a split-second to hurl his stool at the legs of one. He tripped up and ate shit on the gray stone floor. Luckily, one of them stopped his advance to check on his friend. The last, stupidly, charged him.

He threw a wild punch. Jaune ducked the fist and wrapped a muscled arm around his neck. He pivoted his hips and slammed the man on the ground, crouching on his knee simultaneously. He grabbed the friend's arm with his left hand and rained down punches. Teeth began falling out, mixing with the blood pouring from the broken mouth. Jaune noticed the two others coming towards him with anger plastered on their faces. Wrenching back, he broke the young man's arm, groaning and rolling onto his side.

They rushed him and dragged him to the ground. One aimed punches at his face while the other stood and began soccer kicking him in the ribs. Although he blocked most of the punches, but his ribs were beginning to protest the treatment. He slipped a punch and the boy atop him broke his hand on the floor. He screamed for a moment before Jaune smashed his forehead into the bridge of his nose, throwing him to the side. He spun his body, dodging the next kick. He swept the man's leg and he fell to the ground.

Now on the same level, Jaune wrestled his way to full mount. He repeatedly struck, with his entire weight behind him, across the head. After the fourth, the thug beneath him went limp. Tired, he stood, breathing heavy. As nonchalant as possible, he retrieved his stool from the middle of the inn's common area. When he tried to set it back where it went, he found that the four thugs were in the way. He and a couple other patrons took the unconscious delinquents outside, leaving them in the mud and animal shit. He returned to his seat where the bartender was waiting for him, a fresh glass of bourbon sitting there. A different girl was cleaning up the blood and teeth.

"Thanks for takin' care o' those rabble-rousers," the man said. He was a middle-aged man with graying hair and kind brown eyes.

"Don't mention it," Jaune replied. He reached for the glass and winced. His hand burned from the cuts. He thought there might be glass in the wounds. It would be a pain to get it out. "Sorry about your glass."

"Don't mention it. I've decided to let ya drink and stay here fer free," he said. "Hilde! Come help our friend here."

Hilde came out of the back with a bowl of hot water, a pair of tweezers, and long strips of bandage.

"Thanks," Jaune said before the man walked away into the back. Hilde set down her things and grabbed a stool. Jaune took the glass in his left and offered his right. She took his rough hands in her soft dainty ones. She carefully removed the pieces of glass, eyes flicking up when he flinched. Soon, she was finished and his hand was wrapped. She went to leave, but Jaune cleared his throat.

"Could you bring me the bottle?" he asked. She nodded and took the bottle from its lace on the shelf, setting it down in front of him. He poured another drink and went back to hunching over his glass.

Suddenly, a man sat next to him. He wore a dusty trench coat and had a thick cigar hanging out of his mouth. He called over the bartender and asked for a glass of vodka. The bartender reach under the bar and got a fresh glass and a half full bottle of vodka. He poured the clear liquid in the glass and pushed it toward the new man, who took it and gulped the stuff down. He gestured for a fill up. The bartender filled the glass again and placed the bottle back under the bar, walking down towards a few more patrons who had just came in.

"I saw what you did to those, lads," the man said. He took a sip from his drink.

"Pretty sure everyone did," Jaune said. "What of it?"

"Well, I happen to be looking for men that can kick shit and come out smelling clean," he said, scratching his thick black beard. He had a predatory grin spread across his face.

Jaune scoffed. He turned to look at the man. "Who even are you?"

The man offered his hand. Jaune took it. "Name's Coal. Entrepreneur, ladies' man, professional killer of men, at your service."

"Jaune. Wanderer, and not interested."

The man cackled loudly. "Well you haven't even heard the offer yet."

Jaune sighed. "Let's hear it."

The man laughed again. "I like your style, kid. Alright, here's the deal. You join up with me and my boys, and you make more money than you've ever laid eyes on."

"what do you and your boys do?"

"Lots of things."

"How long do I have?"

"Sleep on it. I'll meet you here tomorrow."

"Alright, I'm going to go back to drinking."

"Take it easy, kid."

Coal downed his vodka and promptly left, leaving Jaune with just his bottle and his thoughts. Who was that guy? Jaune hadn't seen him when he came in. He guessed it didn't matter. He had a job offer. Maybe it was time to stop wandering and start doing something other than drinking, walking, and training. He grabbed his bottle, and Crocea Mors, and retreated to the room he ordered earlier that day.

He leaned his weapon against the wall in the corner of the room and set at a desk he assumed every room had. He reached down and opened his pack. Volumes of combat manuals and journals filled the worn leather rucksack, barely leaving room for any provisions or clothes. In fact, he only had one other set of garments, a black jacket, blue jeans, and a pair of socks. In another part of the bag he kept his hygiene supplies, soap, razor, deodorant. He pulled out a combat text title _Fisticuffs: A Guide to Bare Hand Fighting_ by Dr. Devon Rouge and a worn leather journal. Over these two years he had developed a habit of taking notes on anything he read. It helped trap the information in his memory. Also, he found it a good way to alleviate stress during long periods of isolation.

"Use the outer arms, braced against your hands to block the punches of untrained assailants. For skilled opponents rely on movement to protect against their attacks," Jaune paused to write something down and take a swig from his bottle. After nearly two hours, he finally passed out, an empty bottle clutched in his hands and sweat on his brow.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey Party People, this is Thirteen30Seven with a new chapter of The Defeated Knight. I hope you enjoy. Also, I'm proud of how well this has done in the first week. Hopefully, the popularity only goes up.**

* * *

 _He was dreaming._

 _That was the first thing Jaune realized as he stood atop Beacon Tower. It was that night. He hadn't been there, but the subconscious was an imaginative place._

 _The sky was on fire, burning red and orange swirling with black ashes. He could almost feel the emotions of the night. Fear, pain, sadness. It washed over him like a rushing river. It was palpable, so much so that you could cut the air with a butter knife._

 _The knight looked at himself, he was his old, scrawny self. His armor wasn't pitted of gouged, but smooth and polished. The flames glinted off of it, tinting the armor a ghastly shade of blood red. He could taste the sweat and blood that permeated the burning night air._

 _He heard a familiar feminine grunt. It was one he'd heard several times during his training at the prestigious combat school. He had to turn to find the source. He saw her collapsed on the ground, among the rubble._

" _Pyrrha," he said soundlessly. She didn't hear him. "Pyrrha!"_

 _His cries were ignored as Cinder Fall swaggered around the downed champion. She was saying something, but He couldn't make it out. Pyrrha glared at her defiantly._

 _That was his Pyrrha. Always willing to fight, even when it would mean her death. A pang of regret shot through him._

 _If only, the young knight thought. If only he had been more skilled, if he had taken training more seriously. Maybe he could've helped, not helped win, but helped Pyrrha survive._

 _Even if it meant losing himself._

 _No! He couldn't think like that. Pyrrha sacrificed herself so that he could help those who survived. They would need a strong leader. For that to happen he need to train, hence him disappearing for two years._

 _Jaune was pulled from himself as Cinder materialized a bow from thin air. An arrow followed shortly after. This was the worst part to Jaune. The part he relived almost every time he closed his eyes. The brunette pulled back on the string, and a single tear fell. This was it. Two years of this moment, and he was unprepared for it every time. The noises from the school faded to nothing. All that he could hear were his hitched breaths and Pyrrha's voice._

 _Glaring up at her killer, Pyrrha spoke. It was a simple question with a simple answer. "Do you believe in destiny?"_

 _Yes, he did. But he hated it. He hated Destiny for what it had done to him. To her. Destiny was at fault, as much as he thought himself at the very least._

" _Yes," Cinder said. She loosed the arrow and it met its mark. As Pyrrha settled back on her heels she looked his direction. Her eyes meeting his. Then, she disintegrated._

 _Jaune tried to push forward, but failed. He was restricted to watching as the only girl who loved him was swept away by a single, measly gust of wind. He clinched his hands so hard he thought they would break. At least he would wake up now._

* * *

Jaune startled awake, letting go of the brown bottle he clutched. It rolled away loudly. He sat up. He was on the floor, one leg thrown over the backrest of the wooden chair. He surmised that he must have fallen asleep at the desk. He wiped the sweat and tears off of his face, wiping his greasy hands on his grungy jeans.

He felt his sore muscles protest getting up, intensified by the splitting headache. He shouldn't have slept in his armor, or on the floor for that matter. He pushed the nagging stiffness away and gathered his things. He checked his scroll.

"Ten thirty-two," he muttered. The young man hoisted his heavy pack onto his back and left the room, leaving the chair and bottle where they lay.

He walked through the inn's common area. Only a few patrons lounged around. Many of the present lodgers were eating breakfast. A hardy Atlesian meal of lean meats ground grains, eggs, and milk. Jaune considered treating himself to the energizing sustenance, but thought against it. He made his way towards the door.

"Hold a minute, lad," the bartender/innkeeper called. Jaune turned to see him with a plate of food and a glass of water. What really intrigued him was the bottle of aspirin beside the food.

"Hey," Jaune said as he walked towards the man.

"Hey yerself, ya alcoholic," the man said jovially. Jaune sat down, and began tearing into the food.

"You didn't have to do this, you know," he said between bites.

"Least I could do," he deflected. "Hilda's my only daughter, so she's very dear to me."

"What about the other girl?"

"Hired help."

"Where's her mother?"

The man shrugged and glanced away. "She died a few years back. Got real sick."

Jaune felt like a jackass. He shouldn't have prodded. "Sorry."

"Thanks, lad," he said, "What I really want to know is your story."

Jaune's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"You drank enough to kill a horse," he said, "Only a man I know who does that is the one who regrets somethin'. So what is is? Lady love turn you down."

"Something like that," Jaune lied. He didn't want to share too much, even if the man had shown so much hospitality.

"Well, buck up. There's a lot a girl around here," the man smiled, "If you want I can give you a job. Won't pay much, but you'll have place to sleep and food in yer belly. Might even let you take my girl out sometime."

Jaune smiled. He liked the man. He'd have to visit again. "Thanks, but I can't stay in one place too long. Life of a Wanderer, I guess. Besides, I already have a job."

"That's something else I wanted to warn ya about. That man, he runs a mercenary group out of Prometheus. It's a city west of here a few hours drive. I want ya ta be careful of the man. He's a wily one."

"I'll keep it in mind," Jaune said, getting up. "Thanks for the food, but I've got to go now."

As Jaune started walking away. "Tobias."

"What was that?"

"My names Tobias, If yer ever wanderin' the area, stop by. We'd be honored to have ya."

"Thanks Tobias," Jaune reached the door, "but I don't think I'll be this way for a long while."

* * *

Jaune opened the door to see the small town of Oceanus, the outskirts specifically. Waiting for him was Coal, leaning against a small gray truck, chewing the stub of a mostly gone cigar. Jaune wondered how fast the supposed mercenary could smoke the things.

When Coal saw him he stood up, throwing away the stub and walking over in long, purposeful strides. He offered a hand. Jaune took it.

"How ya doin', kid?"

"Fine," Jaune answered, deigning to keep what he had learned about the man to himself. "This our ride."

"So you want to join up?" the man asked, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Sounds like it," Jaune said, noting the look.

Coal gave him a twice over. He noted Jaune's ratty clothes and worse for wear armor. Hell, he was almost stepping out of his ragged shoes with every step. "Got any other clothes, kid?"

"Can we drop the 'kid' part?" Jaune asked, irritated. "Name's Jaune, and no, I don't have any other clothes."

It was a lie, but the clothes in his bag were the exact same as the ones he wore. Coal _tsked_. He certainly wasn't impressed.

"Well, when we get to Prometheus, we'll fix that," he said, "Gotta have my newest addition looking presentable."

Jaune didn't have to reply. He knew how important appearances were. If Weiss taught him anything, it was that business men and women appreciated looking neat and orderly. Coal opened the driver's side door.

"Let's get going. Time is money after all, and we have a meeting tonight." Both men climbed into the truck and within a minute they were heading west, leaving Oceanus behind.

The ride had taken little more than an hour, of which Jaune stared out of the window, bored. The Atlesian countryside was impressive, to say the least. Large expanses of grass grew wildly in fenced off pastures. Several plots of land had massive herds of cattle, grazing lazily in the midday sun. There weren't many trees, but that just let Jaune see for miles in any direction. Mountains sprung up seemingly where ever they wanted, dotting the land with their giant stone bodies.

"Finally," Coal said, with a wry grin, "we're here. Honestly, I hate driving, can't stand it. Riding, that's alright, but driving is just boring."

"I wouldn't know," Jaune said. "I've never driven before."

Coal scoffed. "Well, Jaune. We have the best driver out there. She'll have you up to speed and ready for evac in no time."

"Alright," Jaune replied. He'd never had the chance. Being a wanderer didn't give him the budget needed to buy and maintain a bike, much less a car.

Prometheus couldn't be more different than Oceanus. The city bustled much more than the sleepy town. Pedestrians were much more prevalent. Prometheus had taller building than Oceanus too. Where Oceanus's tallest build was City Hall, Prometheus' building dwarfed it. They were in the business sector if Jaune had to guess. He saw lots of business-y type people, down up in suits with neat ties and shoes so polished you could see your face in them. He noticed several armed guards posted on the sidewalks, garbed in fat suits and _intimidating_ sunglasses. He almost wanted to laugh at the men and women. They looked like generic bodyguards. Coal parked the car.

"This is Paula's," Coal said, gesturing to one of the shorter buildings, as the two men climbed out of the truck. It didn't have a sign, like so many of the other Atlesian buildings. Jaune guessed that they owner's thought if you didn't know what a building was, you didn't need to. All of the windows of the three-story store were tinted black, the sun glinting off of its face almost blindingly. Jaune's eyes hurt just looking at it.

"What is it?" the younger man asked.

"It's a suit shop," Coal answered. "You'll be able to get a hot shower and some new clothes."

"I don't have much money," Jaune mentioned before they retreated out of the burning noon sun.

"Just call it a starting bonus," Coal deflected "Besides you'll pay it back in time."

"If you say so," Jaune said as they crossed the threshold. The store was extremely neat. Rows upon rows of fabric, of all colors, were arranged around the outside walls. Breaking up the walls of fabrics were mirrors and doors that led to changing rooms, if Jaune had to guess. Littered across the floor were plush, black leather ottomans and some old-fashioned, cushioned chairs. A set of stairs spiraled upward to the upper floors. There wasn't any carpet as far as Jaune could tell, only deep brown hardwood, finished and polished to a glossy shine.

"Coal!" a feminine voice cried. Both men turned towards the staircase as a young woman hurried down them. She cut an imposing figure, done up in here black leather pants and pure white blouse, silver tie haphazardly attached to her neck. Or she would have if Jaune weren't half a foot taller than her. She reminded him of Ruby. Was she still short? Jaune pushed the thought aside as the woman came closer.

"Paula," Coal greeted the woman with a wide smile. She offered her hand and the taller man took it, kissing it tenderly. Paula giggled.

Paula? Was this young woman the owner of the store? She didn't look more than five years older than Jaune. How could she already be running an obviously successful business? Jaune supposed that she was talented in her craft.

"Your beard tickles," she said, "When will you let me carve that messy thing into something respectable?"

Coal looked hurt. "I thought you like my whiskers."

Paula chose to ignore him. Looking Jaune up and down. The young knight felt uncomfortable under her probing eyes, although he hid it well. She stalked towards him, like a lioness about to maul a fawn. "Who is this tall drink of water, Coal? You don't bring new faces here very often."

Before Coal could answer, Jaune spoke up. "My name's Jaune, ma'am."

"Ooh, a polite one," Paula cooed as she drew nearer. She inspected his armor and clothes, taking on arm and holding it up, like she was inspecting how he moved. Just by looking at him. She looked up into his eyes, gray capturing sapphire. Even with his stoic expression, Jaune hadn't been in close contact with a beautiful, expressive young woman, and a slight tint fell onto his cheeks while he looked away. If he was feeling uncomfortable before, it was nothing compared to the torture that had befallen him now. She chuckled. "What do you need today, Coal?"

"I want to get the kid lookin' presentable," Coal said. "We have a meeting with a representative of the Schnee Dust Corporation."

Jaune perked up at the mention of the SDC. What would a multi-billion lien corporation want with a mercenary group. Maybe mounting trouble with the White Fang had pushed Weiss's dad to using some 'hired help.'

"Whole nine?" Paula asked with a gleam in her eyes. It was obvious that she was looking forward to whatever was about to happen.

"Whole nine," Coal affirmed. Paula bounced with excitement, clapping her hands rapidly. Jaune was reminded of Nora's excitable nature at the sight. She almost immediately regained her air of professionalism. She snapped loudly. Two girls burst forth, one with blonde hair and the other with bright blue. They scurried up to the woman.

"Yes ma'am?" the blue-nette asked.

"Take this young man and get him cleaned up," Paula ordered with a stern expression. She ahd a much more commanding presence than she had before. She definitely intimidated Jaune now. Not that he'd ever admit it.

The girls nodded and approached Jaune. Each took a hand and began leading him towards the stairs. He looked back pleadingly at Coal, who only laughed boisterously.

"Be gentle, girls," Paula called from her place beside Jaune's new boss.

Jaune was surprised to find that the second story of _Paula's_ was a spa. The décor of the lower story had completely vanished, and he was greeted by white tiled floors and hardwood benches. The girls led him to a bathroom.

In the center of the room was an inset. It was at least two feet longer than Jaune and several feet wider. It was filled with milky-white water and steam was billowing off of its surface. There was only one entrance and no other doors in the room, but in one corner was shower with clear glass walls. The girls stopped and looked back at him.

"Disrobe, please," the blonde said.

"What now?" Jaune asked. He wasn't sure what he'd heard. It sounded like the girls wanted him to get naked.

" _Dis-robe_ , please," she said again. Nope, he heard right the first time. He blushed furiously at their deadpan expressions. How could he get undressed when these girls were staring at him so fixedly.

"Could I get some privacy, please?"

"Of course, sir," the blonde turned to the blue-haired girl. "Let's go, Azure."

Both girls started towards the door, the blonde stopped short. She looked back at him. "We'll be back in two minutes. If you don't want us to see anything, I suggest you be in the water by then."

With that, the door shut. Jaune began taking off his armor, followed by his clothes. He looked himself over in one of the full-body mirrors that were paneling the walls. He was surprised to see how dirty he was. Dust had clung to his lean, muscular form. He looked at the crisscrossing scars that covered him with disdain. He sighed and found the stairs into the pool. Once he found them he waded to the middle of the pool.

He was made terrifyingly aware of all the little aches and pains that assailed his body. He groaned as he sat down on a ledge under the water. He spread his arms over the brim of the pool and leaned his head back. He sighed. It had been a while since he had the luxury of lounging in a nice bath, and he intended to savor it.

He didn't hear the two girls enter, surprising since his training had him on guard at all times. He didn't hear them as they approached. Only when they knelt behind him and began scrubbing him with sponges did he notice them. His eyes snapped open, and he pulled away

"Relax," the blue-haired girl said quietly, "Miss Paula told us to take care of you."

Jaune didn't like it. Well, maybe he did, a little. After all, both girls were attractive, if not his type. He took his place and leaned back again. The girls set to work cleaning head to toe. They scrubbed him thoroughly, not even stopping when he tried to dissuade them away from his _nether region._

After an embarrassing thirty minutes, Jaune was clean and wrapped in a plush bath robe. He waited for them to get him some clothes in a waiting area next to a small fountain. They gave him a plain white t-shirt, grey sweats, and a pair of black sandals. The led him to the top floor. Coal and Paula were waiting for them.

"Damn, kid," Coal bellowed. He looked Jaune over closely. "Look like a person when you're clean. Good job, girls."

The blonde girl, Melynie, stepped forward, "Thank you, Mr. Coal. He didn't make it easy. Kept whining about modesty, and how it wasn't right for us to see him unclothed."

"Thank you, girls," Paula said, she was wearing a black apron and held a pair of scissors. "You are dismissed."

The girls nodded and left, leaving the three alone. Paula sidled up to Jaune and circled him, inspecting him, making sure Melynie and Azure had done a respectable job. When she satisfied, she threaded her slender arm through the crook of Jaune's thicker one. She led him to a barber's chair and sat him down. She walked behind him and twisted his head around. She ran her fingers through his blonde locks, learning how it grew, how it sat.

"He has a good head of hair," Paula said to no one. She turned to Coal. "How do you want this done, Coal."

"Don't ask me," the man deflected. Paula twisted his head while she leaned forward. Her face was almost touching his. She looked at him inquisitively. Her eyes disarmed him. He didn't know what to say.

"Do whatever you think is best."

She smiled toothily. It reminded him of a Cheshire cat, all teeth and mischief. She turned his head forward and settled onto her heels. They were facing a mirror, and she made eye contact. "Well, if you're going to be running around with Coal, you need to look tough _and_ have a style of your own. Do you know what an undercut is?"

"I think I heard a friend say something about it."

"Good," Paula said with another predatory grin. She pulled a pair of shiny hair clippers out of a hanging pouch. "Let's get started.

It only took the woman only a few minutes to finish chopping his hair off. The only part of his head that had hair was the top, and even then it was only two inches. The rest was shorn bare; she had slid a straight-razor over the stubble the clippers left. The worst part had been the aftershave, Jaune had almost yelped when the burning liquid touched his scalp. He was sure that he'd been in more pain, but in the moment couldn't take his mind off how much it burned.

"All done," Paula said, prancing away to look at her handiwork from a distance. Jaune had to admit he looked good with short hair.

"It looks good," he praised. He figured that it looked professional enough. Tough, yet classy. At least more so than the wild strands he brought in with him.

"Thank you," Paula accepted the compliment with grace, if she still had a brimming smile painted on her face. "Now, onto my personal favorite thing in the world: clothes."

'Clothes' was a pretty broad term. When Jaune came to the store he was under the impression that he would just be getting some suits. However, Paula had different ideas. Now he was lugging around several bags full of new clothes. Ranging everywhere from suits, to casual wear, even undergarments. Jaune couldn't even begin to calculate how much he was going to owe Coal. He would probably be in debt for the rest of his life.

"All that comes to: Three thousand-four hundred-and fifty-two lien," Paula said. Jaune thought he was going to faint. Even as he caught himself, he thought he was going to collapse. 3451 lien! He really was going to be in some hefty debt, although not for the rest of his life. He was going to tell Coal to forget about it. He could go back to wandering. He didn't have a problem with it, honest!

Coal simply pulled out his wallet, pulled a card out and handed it to the woman behind the counter. She ran it and handed back the card a receipt, A very, very long receipt. Jaune's moth hung open. Only just a day ago, he had never thought someone would drop that much money on him. Coal looked at him like Jaune had done something crazy. "Close your mouth Jaune, bugs will fly in."

* * *

Jaune followed the bearded man out of the store, dumbfounded. How could the man just but all of this stuff? He barely knew Jaune. What if he didn't want Jaune to work? He shook his head and fell back into himself. He would have time to analyze what had just happened later. Right now, they were heading to the 'Home Base' as Coal put it. Jaune couldn't help but feel puny next to the building.

It was an eight-story tall box made out of gray cement, black windows set deep into its smooth face. It looked like on office building from one of those corporate espionage films he used to watch. He was silent as the two men walked in. The lobby looked about as minimal as the outside did. There were only a few chairs scattered around the room, a desk where a young man sat. He looked focused and ready to help, more so when he saw who had just walked in.

"Mr. Mitchell, how are you today?" the man asked. He seemed incredibly chipper to Jaune. Then, he saw the razor-thin lines of robotic paneling and realized that the man wasn't human. The robot extended a hand to Coal.

"Just great, Tony, Coal said, shaking the pseudo-man's hand. "I need an empty room for our new addition. Something with a view, please."

"Oh, this is Jaune," Tony said, without missing a beat he sat down and began typing. Doing so, he looked up at him. "How are you today, Jaune?"

"Uh-I'm good," Jaune answered, off-put by his cheery attitude.

"Alright, room Seven-Bee has a vacancy."

Coal smiled at the young man, nudging Jaune towards the elevator. They called the elevator and waited as it came down from the eighth floor. They packed themselves and all of Jaune's bags into the metal box.

Room 7B probably had the best view Jaune had ever seen. The Remnant skyline greeted him, the sky alight with oranges, reds, and purples. The room, like the lobby was barren, save for a bed, couch, coffee table, and a wall-mounted television. A bathroom was attached to the room near the exit door.

"Gonna be night soon," Coal said making his way to the door. "Alright, I'm gonna let you settle in. When you're finished find the Quartermaster. She'll get you outfitted with everything you need. Might even meet some of your teammates. The Armory is in the basement."

Team? Jaune wasn't aware that he'd be working with a team. He just assumed that Coal wanted him as a solo operator. He didn't think he was cut out for working in a team. At least not now, but he squashed the nerves. He set to putting away all of the clothes, which took longer than he wished, but it was the price he had to pay to work with Coal's company. He put on a pair of grey slacks, a white long-sleeve, the sleeves of which were promptly pushed up, and a pair of leather Oxfords. He found the basement easy enough, just press the 'B' on the elevator panel. Then, it was just a matter of following the direction signs posted on the hallway corners.

The Armory was just that: an armory. Racks upon racks of firearms sat in the middle of the room, shelves of other supplies ranging from grenades and shaped explosives to geo-locational beacons were wrapped around the outside walls. Hazard yellow was painted on nearly everything. Warning labels popped off their olive colored boxes. On one side of the room was a counter. Behind it was a mousy-looking woman, with reddish-orange hair working on some sort of rifle. She didn't notice him until he rang the bell on the counter. She startled and whipped around, chest heaving.

"Oh man, you scared the ba-jeebies, outta me," she cried. She took a deep breath and collected herself. "Hi I'm Lilith, resident armorer of Garrett's Greenies. You must be the new guy Coal was talking about."

"That's me," Jaune said. "He said that you'd 'outfit' me."

"He means that I'll be kitting you out," she said. She saw his confusion. "I'll be giving you you're combat uniform, armor, weapons, and other supplies."

"I already have a weapon," Jaune answered. Why did he need to use a new weapon when he had Crocea Mors?

"Everyone employed in the company is expected to use firearms during combat scenarios. Whether it uses Dust-or conventional projectiles is up to the operator. You do know how to use a gun, right?"

It had been about a year since he trained under a retired Atlas soldier, but he looked at it like riding a bike: You just never forgot how to do it. "Yeah. Do I get to pick the model, or is that something you do?"

Lilith pulled out a data slate, and tapped around on the clear glass. "First I have to authenticate your initial arsenal allowance. Just one second."

The tablet made a bell sound and the armorer smiled at him. "It looks like you're all set. One rifle, a sidearm, three carbon steel combat knives, and a full armament of ammunition, fragmentation grenades, and stun pellets."

"Alright," Jaune said as he went to collect his munitions. For a rifle he chose the ever versatile AM312, the standard-issue Atlas military assault rifle. His sidearm was another Atlas favorite, the Marks & Dempsey P1337. He set the guns on the counter and went back to gather the rest of his things. Soon, the counter was littered with all of the things he needed. Lilith looked over all of his stuff, noted it in her logs, and smiled at him.

"Well, that's everything. I'll have one of the boys take your things up along with your combat attire and armor," she said, tapping away at her pad. "I think your team was wanderering around down here, probably at the Commons."

"Thanks, I'll go introduce myself," Jaune said. He left the Armory only to run into someone. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

The man he bumped into was probably the shortest man he'd ever seen. Even Paula was taller than him, which was saying something. He was garbed in a bright purple suit and solid orange sunglasses, even though they were all inside. Underground. To Jaune he looked like a comic book character. He was flanked by two other men and a woman, it was clear that the short one was the leader, but it was so comical that Jaune had a hard time believing it. However, he exploded on Jaune.

"How about you look where you're going, asshole. Struttin' around here in your new oxfords like you run the joint. I should show you where your place is," the man shouted. He was so animated for a person his size. If this were anyone else, Jaune thought it might've been cute, but this was a cheap intimidation tactic. And Jaune knew more about those than most.

"Hey, Napoleon, how about you back off before I get my new oxfords dirty when I shove them up your ass," Jaune retorted icily. He put as much edge in his usually calm voice that he didn't know where it came from. He didn't think the short guy was to impressed or willing to back down.

"Why you little…," he muttered before cocking back his arm. He was about to release when a masculine voice cut in.

"Shut it down! Both of you," the newcomer shouted. He strode up with confidence.

If you asked Jaune if he was into men, you would probably get a crimson blush and a resounding 'No.' After seeing this man, though, Jaune was shaken. He was probably one of the most beautiful people he had ever looked at, let alone the most gorgeous man. He had flawless fair skin, white as milk and unmarred by the imperfections brought on by life. Deep hazel-green eyes that seemed like they could look into your soul. Auburn hair reminded him of the Valean Fall season, like leaves that were barely holding onto their branches. Looking at him, one would probably conclude that he was a model, not a hardcore mercenary working for a professional company of trained killers.

"You alright, mate?" the man asked. Even his accent made an innocent question attractive. Jaune couldn't put a finger on where it came from. He'd have to make sure to ask him later.

"Uhh…uhh…Yeah! I'm good," Jaune said shaking himself out of his head. The man looked at him quizzically. He shrugged off the younger man's strange behavior and turned back to the shorter man.

"Remy, what have I told you about harassing the new additions," the man said.

"Yeah, yeah, Olli, 'We should show them kindness and acceptance into the family' and all that nonsense," Remy said, mocking the beautiful man. For his part, Olli didn't respond to the mimicry.

"Well, off you go then," Olli said, patting Remy on the back and smiling at his entourage as they passed. He turned his attention back to Jaune. "And you. Trying to start fights on your first day?"

"Not technically my first day," Jaune said, with a smirk. He didn't know why he did it. He just felt disarmed by the man before him.

Olli chuckled and gestured for Jaune to follow him. Jaune fell into step beside him. "So, where ya from, Jaune-boy?"

Jaune thought for a moment. "Small town in Vale."

"Oh," Olli said. "Nasty piece of business that happened over there, innit?"

"You can say that again.'

"Well, let's get you introduced to the team."

The Commons was a large room in which many of the company's employees spent their free time. Several tables were set up for card games and meals, while in a different area was a bar and some pool tables. TVs like the one in his room were mounted on the walls every dozen feet or so, many of them playing the evening news. One group was particularly rowdy.

"There they are: Fireteam…Well, we don't have a callsign yet, but hopefully that'll change in the next few days. You were our last addition, actually," Olli said as they walked towards them.

"Oi, Olli. Who's the runt?" a giant slab of a man bellowed. He had a shaven head and several tattoos across his arms and chest. Sitting down, he was still almost as tall as Jaune. The man had a similar accent to Olli's, but it was different, like he lived in a different region of the same place.

Before Olli could introduce him, Jaune stepped forward. "This runt's name is Jaune. Maybe you should use it."

The man only stood and walked silently over to the small man. He towered over Jaune by at least eight inches, but he held his ground. They glowered at each for a moment before the taller of the two trapped the other in a tight bear hug.

"Welcome to the family, mate," the man shouted. Jaune could swear he came of the ground for a moment before he was let go. The man held out a meaty paw. Jaune took it. "Names Seamus, but my friends call me Mite."

It was incredibly ironic, though Jaune didn't say anything. He only grinned and nodded. Mite put his hand on his back and ushered him forward. Olli had taken the man's place on the other side of the table. The big man placed him at the head of the table. Standing. Like a jackass.

"Hey, everybody," Jaune waved awkwardly. When they didn't say so much as say 'hello', Jaune only chuckled.

"You must have some big stones to talk to Mite like that, kid," a girl with pink hair. She had it cut short, similar to his own, but the sides were grown out longer, and she had three lines shaved on each side. She was probably the most muscular woman he'd ever met, and she was almost as tall as him. She had intense brown eyes, and her face was twisted in a displeased frown.

"Guess so," Jaune said back, as intense as she was. She only laughed at him. To him it didn't sound to be at his expense.

"I like this kid," she said, foregoing her frown to make a broad smile. She gave Jaune an up-nod. "Name's Roz: Heavy Weapons."

Jaune nodded and turned to the next person. It was a slender man around his age if he had to hazard a guess. He had dark orange hair, closely shaven to his scalp, and pale green eyes. A smattering of freckles flecked across his face. He had almost unnaturally pale skin, and Jaune could almost see veins. Sprouting from his back was a extremely bushy squirrel tail, tied together with small round ears on his head. He waved at the blonde boy.

"Hey, I'm Lyca," the boy said skittishly. "I'm the sniper."

"Nice," Jaune said, smiling at the shy boy. "Any good?"

He wrapped himself in his tail to hide his blush. He spoke into his the soft-looking fur. "I'm alright."

Olli leaned over and slapped Lyca's shoulder. "Don't this little bugger lie to you. He the best marksman I've ever had the pleasure of watching."

That seemed like pretty high praise from Olli. Apparently, Lyca thought so too, he huddled even deeper into his tail. Jaune chuckled, these guys seemed fun at the very least. It reminded him of his team's hijinks at Beacon. The thought had a sobering effect, and the smile on his face evaporated.

"Well, I need to go get ready," Jaune said. When the team looked at him quizzically he elaborated. "I'm going to a meeting with Coal in about an hour."

"Alright, mate," Olli said. "We'll talk later, yeah?"

"Yeah," Jaune said as he walked away.

* * *

Coal and Jaune were supposed to meet the SDC representative at their Prometheus branch office. It was dark out when they arrived, the sun long since ducking beneath the horizon. Dozens of armed guards patrolled the outside of the building. It made Jaune wonder how many were actually in the building. Regardless, both of the mercenaries got out of their car, Coal handing the keys to a valet.

Both of them were swathed in suits. Coal's was ironically all-black, from his coat to his shoes. Jaune's wore a gray, three-piece suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He felt out of place, dressed up like he was. However, he hid his discomfort well, and smiled easily at the guards that checked their visitors' passes. He put on a fake swagger that oozed confidence as he stuffed the laminated paper slip into his inner suit pocket.

Inside the building was incredibly ostentatious. Statues of prominent Schnee business through the ages. Black marble made up the floors and walls. A wall of elevators was stacked in the center of the lobby, glass encasing the lift. A secretary was waiting for them, she led them up to the fifteenth floor and into a closed off conference room.

There was only a lone woman waiting for them. She wore a sharply-tailored white suit, and had her snow white hair. Jaune felt his suspicions rising. He didn't feel good about whatever was about to happen. She turned around and Jaune recoiled in surprise, regaining his composure quickly.

"Nice to see you again…Weiss."

* * *

 **AN: Thanks for reading! If you liked it, leave a comment. Even if you didn't like it, leave your criticism. Anything you leave for me helps me become a more conscious writer.**

 **Sorry, no action this chapter. Next chapter will touch it. Probably. Till next time - Thirteen30Seven.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, everybody! I know it's been a while, but I have finished a chapter. Just remember to review. Anything, even criticism, help me become a better writer.**

* * *

Who'da thunk it? Weiss Schnee, the rep for the Schnee Dust Corporation. It made sense, really. Her father wasn't old enough to retire yet, and Weiss wasn't going to be roughing it with miners, or the mid-management, for that matter. No, she'd be travelling, unable to really sit down and think about her past life. Jaune felt a twinge of pity as he grinned at the girl.

Not that she was a girl anymore. She had grown several inches in the past two years. She had filled out in her own way. She didn't even come close to Yang in terms of curves, but Weiss had a regality behind her. Dressed in a pure white dress and her hair tied into a tight bun, she reminded Jaune of Goodwitch, in a way. He immediately wondered how Goodwitch was doing. He was yanked from his thoughts by the woman in front of him.

"What are you doing here?"

Jaune was baffled. That's all she had to ask him? Not, "Where have you been for the past two years?" The heiress had a peculiar way of thinking, but Jaune rolled with it. "Well, I got a job. Courtesy of my boss right there."

"You two know each other, I presume," Coal said taking the woman's hand in his own and shaking it. "Coal Mitchell, leader of Garrett's Greenies."

Weiss smiled faintly. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mitchell. And yes, we do know each other. At least we did."

"Ouch," Jaune said as he clutched his heart. "Hurtin' my heart here, Weiss. In front of my new boss, too."

Coal threw the slightest hint of a glare Jaune's way, and the younger blonde man shrugged. "Please, just Coal. Mr. Mitchell is my father."

"Of course… Coal," Weiss said, smoothing down the ripples in her skirt. "Shall we discuss the details of the contract."

"Of course," Coal said, taking a seat in one of the conferences room's many chairs. Jaune and Weiss followed suit.

Half an hour later, the details of the contract were solidified. One team of Greenies were to escort a significant shipment of Dust to a major port city along the coast of the Southern Sea. They would make contact with a detail of SDC bodyguards and the two groups would keep the physical elements company until they reached the port. They would have a pretty expansive operational budget, enough to get two armored trucks outfitted with high-caliber gun emplacements. It seemed overkill to Jaune, but then again, he knew how fanatical the White Fang was. Especially after what happened at Beacon.

Coal shook Weiss's hand again. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Schnee."

"The same, Coal," Weiss said. When she looked at Jaune, she had a sad smile on her face. "May I talk with Jaune in private for a moment."

"Of course," Coal said. He looked at the younger merc. "I'll be out in the car, Jaune-boy."

"Got it," the blonde answered, interested in seeing what Weiss needed to say. They waited until Coal left the room and the door closed with a dull thud. Immediately, Jaune was wrapped in a very Nora-esque hug. Even with his much more powerful physique, the blonde man felt his lungs constricting.

"You're an idiot," Weiss said into his chest. "You know that, right?"

"Guess I am," Jaune said with obvious glee. They stood like that for a few more moments before Weiss tore herself away. She walked over to her briefcase and pulled out a pad of cream-white paper. She scribbled on the pad for a moment and finally handed Jaune a torn slip of paper. On it was a short list of Scroll numbers, labeled with the names of various former Beacon students. Ruby, Yang, Ren, Nora, even Team CRDL made an appearance on it. Not Blake though, which wasn't surprising.

"You should give them a call, Jaune. To show them that you're alright,at the very least."

Jaune happy facade melted. He didn't know what to say, but tried anyway. "I'm not alright, Weiss. I don't think I'm going to for a while longer. How are they doing, though?"

"That's something they'll tell you themselves, but only if you call them. Ruby, Nora, and Ren are going after Cinder, they wanted you to come along, but you high-tailed it out of Vale. I won't tell them we saw each other. But promise me that you'll call them, all of them. Just to say 'hi'."

"I promise," Jaune said as he made his way toward the tinted door of the conference room. "Good seeing you, Weiss."

Jaune left the room and stuffed the slip of paper in his pocket. In reality, he had no intention of calling the numbers. Sure, he knew he had to at some point. They were his best friends, after all. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what they would say to him. Would they hate him? That would make sense. What he saw next ripped him from his musings. Coal was walking out of the Men's Room. He looked disheveled, his shirt was only half tucked, tie undone. Jaune swore he could see the faintest lipstick smear on his collarbone. Following him was the secretary that had show them in. She was in a similar disarray as his boss.

Coal only gave Jaune a shit-eating grin. "Sorry, Jaune-boy, got lost."

* * *

Jaune was sitting in his room back at Home Base. He was set up in a high-backed grey chair next to the window. He was surprised and joyed to find that his room had a fully stocked fridge that came with a full contingent of alcohol. Now he was sipping on an ice cold beer, watching the night life of Prometheus buzz.

People still walked up and down the streets, and cars were locked in traffic like no other. Lights from various clubs bounced around the glass jungle. It was a pretty sight to see. A large city lit up like daytime. Though he would never partake in the nighttime activities. He was surprised to learn that Lyca became a social butterfly when given even an ounce of liquor.

His team had come to see if Jaune wanted to go with them to a club, but the young mercenary declined. Opting instead to sit in his room, watching the people of prometheus mill about like ants. It was calming and unnerving at the same time. He was happy to see that some places were bright and happy at night. On the other hand, Jaune knew that light was a beacon of sorts to the Grimm. Still, Atlas had their defense systems and they could repel an army of Grim with little issue.

He couldn't help but let his thoughts drift back to his friends. He had their numbers on the table beside his chair. He could call them, he knew, but it was almost midnight. He'd need to get to sleep. Tomorrow was his first actual day on the job, and he wanted to impress. He couldn't shake the desire though, and soon his Scroll was in hand,and he was dialing Ruby's number.

It rang twice before the girl answered. It was dark where they she was, although Jaune reasoned that it was dark everywhere right now. She hadn't changed much, though Jaune could only see her face. Her hair had grown a little, but besides that , she only looked sleepy.

"Hmm, yes?" she asked it that same high-pitched voice. Jaune smiled. He'd missed her voice, much like he missed Ren's and Nora's and Yang's an all of his friends. Hell, if he could talk to Cardin again he'd be happy.

"Hey, Crater Face."

The girl was awake almost instantly. The screen blurred as she sat up and she was hunched over the screen. "Jaune?"

"The one and only," Jaune said with a grin.

"Where are you? Where did you go? Are you oka-"

"Ruby, I can't answer all these questions if you don't give me time to," Jaune reasoned. He was glad to see that Ruby was still as chipper as could be. He wished he could've remained the same, much as he hated to admit it.

"Alright, I'll settle for one right now. Where are you?"

Jaune chuckled. Ruby was clever, but he wouldn't fall for that so easily. "The body of land I am currently on is surrounded by water."

Ruby groaned. "That's all of them Jaune."

"I know, Ruby, but I don't want to be found. But I will tell you who gave me your number."

"Who?"

"Weiss."

"No fair," Ruby whined. "Weiss gets to see you , but I can't. That's mean, Jaune."

Jaune chuckled at her pouty face. Once upon a time, it would've brought him to his metaphorical knees. Now, though, it was just something Jaune had seen a thousand times before. "I guess it is. How are you holding up? Still drinking your milk?"

Ruby pouted further, but answered regardless. "I'll have you know that I have grown a total of four inches. And Nora, Ren, and I are holding up just fine. Though we'd be better with you here."

Jaune sighed. "I know, Ruby. I know, but I can't. Not now, at least. I heard from our favorite heiress that you three are going after Cinder."

"Yep, we're gonna beat up on that chick," Ruby said puffing her chest out in a 'Superhero-ish' fashion.

"Good to here, Rubes. Well, I need sleep. Big day tomorrow."

"Alright, Jaune. Call soon, Nora's gonna be crazy once she hears about this."

Jaune remembered vividly how Nora could get. He almost felt sorry for Ren, but then realized that the boy was the only one who could wrangle the excitable ginger. "Night, Ruby."

"'Night, Jaune."

Jaune hung up his Scroll and his room was shrouded in darkness again. As dark as it could be considering that the lights groundside were still blazing bright. He made his way to his bed, knowing what was coming to him in his dreams.

* * *

Jaune was awed by the mercenaries corporations equipment, the clothing and armor, namely. It was all ballistic-reinforced, military grade cloth and steel, the boots made from tanned and treated leather;and fur-lined to keep the wearer's feet nice and warm. He pulled on a thermal t-shirt, thanking Paula for insisting that he'd need it, and, over it, the standard long-sleeve shirt of the standard grunt within the Greenies. He tucked both shirts into a pair of slate grey cargo pants and bloused the crisp pant legs over his boots. The armor came in the form of a lightweight, bullet-resistant alloy. A breastplate and shin guards mainly. Over the breastplate went a vest, complete with ammunition pouches and scabbards for his knives.

When he was fully done up, Jaune looked fearsome, if only straight out of the factory. He was glad the armor didn't come with a helmet, He never did like those things, too stuffy and didn't let him have near enough fresh air. He was ready, dressed to impress. He did look green, but it was to be expected. All his gear _was_ brand new.

Jaune walked into the vehicle bay of Home Base and saw his team was already gathered there. Olli was hauling a pair of duffel bags, no doubt filled with extra munitions. Mite was doing the same, only with two in each hand. Roz was inspecting the gun emplacements on the truck while Lyca was loading oversized rounds into large box magazines, setting each magazine into deep green ammo boxes.

"How's it going, Jaune-boy," Olli said as he dusted his hands of the duffel bags.

"Going alright, Olli," Jaune said. It was a non-committal answer and Jaune knew it. "How do I look?"

"Ferocious, Brass," Roz said. She came over and inspected him. "Nah, sorry, still too pretty."

Jaune frowned. "You say that when you're standing beside the most gorgeous man on Remnant."

Olli laughed and clapped Jaune on the shoulder. "I think she meant your gear, mate."

Jaune laughed nervously. "I guess so. We're not going to tell people I think your a pretty dude, right?"

"As long as Roz doesn't say anything, we'll be in the clear," the older merc said. "Well, load up. You've got the front truck. You can drive, can't you?"

"Well enough, I suppose."

"Well get in there," Olli said over his shoulder. "We'll link up with the SDC detail and meet up by the south exit of the city, copy?"

Jaune climbed in the door and started up the truck. It roared to live, a noise Jaune had missed. "Copy." Jaune closed the door and rolled out of the vehicle bay.

* * *

Rush hour sucked. That was one of the few things Jaune had realized driving, if it could be called that, through the deadlocked streets. One other thing he learned was that many of the drivers were complete morons.

"You're going to try and change lanes now!?" the young blonde shouted at a young businessman in a two-door sports car.

Needless to say that Jaune would be happy when they left the bustling city. Not many people braved the roads outside of the settlements. It seemed that's where Garrett's Greenies thrived. But at this rate, it would be dark before Jaune was able to link up with the others. Still, he trudged on through the slow moving streets.

It was almost an hour when Jaune reached the SDC office. He pulled into the open vehicle bay after being inspected by half a dozen armed guards. He popped open the door and hopped to the ground, new boots thudding against the polycrete floor.

"You a Greenie?" one of the kitted out men asked. He was about Jaune's height, with a grizzled face and bald head. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, I'm here for a pickup. A detail of guards for the escort."

The bald man motioned to some similarly gear people and they jogged over, making a parade line and saluting the man. He waved them off and the surged forward greeting him. Addams, a young man around Jaune's age with ruddy brown hair and a pair of thin-framed glasses. Verdant, a middle-aged woman with forest green eyes. Lima, a young woman with colorful sneakers instead of boots. And finally, Gramps, a man older than Grizzly, with snow white hair and laugh wrinkles. Grizzly called them back into formation and the leader came to Jaune.

"I'll drive, you probably don't know the roads like I do."

Jaune had to agree. He had only been in the city for about two days at this point. He hand over the keys. "It's all you, but I'm taking the gun."

Grizzly smirked. "Have to race Gramps, then."

* * *

Soon, they were all loaded up in the truck, with Jaune sitting in the turret stirrups. He leaned back against the hatch frame. They rolled out of the garage just as Rush Hour died down, something Jaune was immensely thankful for. They met up with the Jaune's team after a fifteen minute drive. He saw Olli in his gun trucks turret place.

"Yo, Olli," Jaune shouted. "We're front guard, yeah?"

"Yeah, mate. You'll be the top slice in a Dust sandwich, Me and Mite, the bottom."

"Sounds good," Jaune turned his attention to Grizzly. "Let's pull out, Griz."

"Affirmative," the veteran guard said as he pulled in front of the convoy. The others followed after and they left Prometheus behind.

* * *

It had been a few hours since they left and Jaune was still scanning the distance. As he had since they hit the road outside the city. His hands were tight against the turret paddle thumbs poised to spit destruction. He was scanning for bandits, White Fang, a combination of the two. You name it, Jaune was waiting for a head to pop over the high snow banks.

Suddenly, Jaune's world exploded.

 **There's a cliffhanger. Part of me hates to put off any real action for another chapter, but there will definitely be some in the next chapter. Take care and happy holidays. Also, note that I've changed my Username.**


End file.
